


The sly fox who's in love with me

by watashixx



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-05
Updated: 2015-11-05
Packaged: 2018-04-30 04:26:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5150198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watashixx/pseuds/watashixx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ayase -❯ Toujou -❯ Yazawa ❮-❯ Nishikino. The title and algorithm tells the idea of the story. AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	The sly fox who's in love with me

 

* * *

**The sly fox who's is in love with me**

* * *

'Caramel'

What does a caramel chocolate doing on top of her desk?

Her eyebrows furrowed when she saw this, she just came on their classroom and this is what she'll saw? She shot her heads up to scan her classmates and observe any suspicious action to find the perpetrator, and then she saw the blonde, the quarter Russian who was having a conversation with their mutual friend name Yazawa Nico, and the obnoxious blonde who always mess with her.

And there's no other person who'll do this kind of things on her except the blonde

Eri shot a glance at Nozomi and when Eri met the glare that Nozomi gave her, she perk up, too happily to the point it already irritates Nozomi

Eri left Nico on the middle of their conversation, and giddily run towards Nozomi's desk

"Toujou-san! Goodmorning" Eri greeted and stop in front of Nozomi

Nozomi ignored Eri and slump on her chair, she set the chocolate aside and put down her books that she'll be needed

"Do you like the chocolate?" Eri questioned her while giving a sly smile

Nozomi knows it, Eri is messing with her again as usual.

The purple haired girl at first was concerned about retorting the blonde, though she's irritated on Eri she still wanted to reject Eri in a nice way, but that was back then. Right now she could argue on Eri in any way she wants because she can't see any pain, disappointments, or sadness whenever Nozomi became sarcastic, as if Eri already anticipates and doesn't care what Nozomi will say and do.

"No, but I like the way how you completed my day, seriously" Nozomi said sarcastically

"Really?" Eri laughs hard at Nozomi's reply "That's my valentine's gift for you, it's one of my favorite" the quarter Russian's Cheshire grin didn't leave her face.

Unconcerned, Nozomi pick the chocolate and hold it out for Eri, she noticed that it haven't been gift wrapped and the price is still on it. It's not new for Nozomi, for Eri know how to get on Nozomi's nerves

_10,000 yen for a caramel chocolate?_

Seriously how far can this girl do for the sake of her prank?

"Enough with this, though I appreciate the valentine's prank"

She draw the chocolate near Eri indicating to accept it and it made the blonde look at the chocolate then at her, then Eri gave a fake surprised look

"Toujou-san d-dont tell me.." Eri was giving a playful hint on her eyes and a sly smile she continue " You're confessing your love on me by giving me a chocolate" the blonde snickered "Too bold for you, were in a classroom you know?"

Nozomi just gave a deadpan expression on Eri's act, it's still early and this girl already making her tired

"Yes, yes I love you so much Ayase that I want to swipe that cheeky grin of yours that always irritates me" she said sarcastically and anticipate the usual line that Eri would always retort to her on every conversation that they would have

Eri laughs and said

"I love you too Toujou"

* * *

What did she do? What have she done? She's just a typical high school girl who's always at the middle of everything, she's not rich, she neither rank on academics, she neither have talents for sport or anything and she always keep everything low just to blend in with her classmates.

And Ayase Eri is a girl completely different on her, she's famous, she's the richest on the school, she always rank top on academics and in any sports, she's also a social butterfly but keeps everyone off from a distance, to describe it properly, she's a sly fox who befriends everyone but doesn't let them too close on her.

Nozomi can still clearly remember every prank that Eri did to her, one of these was when she was on their library and someone called her, she didn't set her phone into silent because no one ever called her. And there she saw the caller name 'Nicocchi' was written, before she answered it the other people on the library were already sending glare on her specially the librarian who gave her a warning. She gave an apologetic smile and a small bow on everyone. When she answered it a voice different from her friend greeted, a cheerful mocking voice can be heard through the other line.

"I miss you Toujou-san" Nozomi's eyebrows twitched

"Why do you have Nicocchi's phone? What do you want Ayase?" She replied in a low cautious voice

"Nothing, I just want to tell you that I really love how absorbed you can be when doing something like right now"

Nozomi immediately stand and find Eri, and there she was, trying to suppress a laugh. She couldn't control her irritation that time so she shouted

"Ayase-san get out on here!"

"No" Nozomi heard a voice behind her, she jolted and turn behind "You're the one who needs to go out Toujou"

And there Nozomi was forcefully thrown out of the library and Eri was still inside snickering on her.

So what did she do to deserve these kind of teasing? What's going on Ayase's mind?

Eri also always gave her sweet word just to tease the purple haired girl and 'I love you' were one of Eri's usual line. She really want to smack Eri's face but she doesn't want to retort in any kind violence, so she's usually replied using sarcastic comments but Eri is immune to it. Nozomi wanted to show on Eri that she's not an easy to get girl, that she value relationship and doesn't want just to play around.

Since when it started? Her days were normal until her first friend/crush? Well she's still confuse about it for she might just misunderstood her feelings on Nico because she's her first friend and introduce Eri to her.

Nico Yazawa was their mutual friend but somehow Nico had grown closer to Eri than her, and that's another reason why she always got irritated when she see Eri's face or hear her name.

"Nozomi"

A familiar voice called and she immediately shot her heads up. She saw a gift that was well wrapped and had a red ribbon on it, she gave a confused look

"A valentine's gift for you Nozomi" she shake the gift to have the attention of the purple haired girl who was staring on the gift "It's a chocolate"

Nozomi was surprised and her mouth were left agape. Nico never gave her anything during these kinds of events and she already accept that fact because she knows that Nico is too shy for this. But right now she's handling out her valentine gift for Nozomi, and it was well gift wrapped using an expensive gift wrapper, you could see the effort by just looking on it, unlike a certain quarter Russian.

It's already 15th of February, though it's kind of late, it still made Nozomi glow from joy

"Nicocchi"

"It doesn't have caramel" Nico's starting to get irritated on Nozomi's slowness on taking the chocolate, she arc her eyebrow "Are you taking it or not?"

"Of course I will, Thank you Nicocchi"

Nozomi gladly take it and Nico sighed in relief

* * *

She wanted to reciprocate Nico's gift on White day, she wanted her gift to taste and look good more than Nico's gift on her.

Tomorrow is White day and today is Sunday, and Nozomi was wandering around on a certain gift shop. She made her way towards the ribbon section and saw someone that always 'complete' her day.

Yes, Eri was in front of her, she's holding a purple gift bag and choosing a ribbon from the set in front of her. Nozomi always saw Eri's happy and mischievous face but never saw her serious expression like she's giving right now. She was slowly running a hand on a purple ribbon and were focused on it, and she's somehow having a longing look on her face.

_What is she doing here? For another prank of her?_ She sighed and shakes her head to remove her thoughts.  _Who cares I'm just wasting my time_

She really need the ribbon now cause tomorrow is the white day, if Ayase noticed her she'll just ignore her or snarl at her like what she usually do, she made up her mind and mentally prepared herself. Nozomi made her way naturally beside Eri and as what she thought she was noticed

Eri turn to face Nozomi and gave her usual cheeky smile

"Well isn't it Toujou-san" Eri greeted Nozomi but like what she anticipated she was ignored

"I'm so happy that I met you during weekends"

"You could just call me if you're going out"

"Wait I don't have your number" Eri took her phone from her pocket and gesture it to Nozomi, yet Nozomi is still trying to ignore her while choosing the right ribbon. Eri isn't disheartened she continue her blabbering

"Come one Toujou-san, Don't be shy"

"What do you prefer? These ribbon or this one? How about the wrapper?"

"Oh. By the way why are you here? Are you choosing ribbons for your gift on me on white valentines? Whoa I'm so excited. Toujou-san I really love y-"

"It's for Nicocchi not for you"

Eri's words was cutted by Nozomi's usual sarcasm, and a silence envelop them. Nozomi noticed the lack of quick reply of the quarter Russian and she glance at her. There's still Eri's cheeky smile, nothing unusual except that she fell silent

"I see someone's in love here" Eri teased

Nozomi sigh exasperatedly

_I got worried for nothing_

"Give up on Nico Toujou-san, you already have me" The playful hint on Eri's voice really irritated her but what Eri said earlier made her flustered

"W-who cares" Nozomi stuttered, she cleared her throat "Anyways I'm not I-I-In love with Nicocchi" She reject the idea but the blush on her face failed her

Eri laugh hard at the flustered Nozomi "Just don't forget that I'll still love you despite of that" she said between her laugh

Nozomi was busy fiddling on the ribbon that she's holding out of being flustered to hear what Eri had said. Eri noticed Nozomi's state and stopped from laughing, she decided to bid her goodbye now.

"I'll take this ribbon" She raised 2 purple ribbons and pull it out "I'll go now, thank you for today I had fun"

"Are you going to give it on someone special? I think that won't compliment the purple gift bag that you're going to buy. Light blue will do" Nozomi said impassively while still absorbed on choosing between the ribbons with a faint blush on her cheeks

Eri stopped from walking and look at her, she was slightly taken aback

"How did you know?"

"If it's for your another prank you wouldn't be giving this kind of serious expression" Nozomi stated as a matter of fact

"Are you hoping that it's for you Touj-" Eri recovered already and gave her usual teasing antics

"If it's really for me, don't bother I'll just return it to you"

But Nozomi quickly retorted again, for the second time Eri fell silent, she didn't need to face the blonde because she could already imagine her cheeky grin.

After a couple of second Eri speaks again

"Nico will love something that is pink as a wrapper and that red ribbon that you're holding" Nozomi finally face her now upon hearing those words and saw no cheeky grin on Eri's face. Eri reciprocates it by winking an eye on her "Trust me"

Nozomi's eyebrows twitch on Eri's action

"Just go already"

* * *

Today is March 14, today is White day and it was raining today, Nozomi waited all classes to end before giving her gift to Nico.

Finally the bell rang, she immediately arranged her things, and quickly walks out of classroom before the blonde caught up with her.

She stopped in front of Nico's classroom while holding her gift and peek from the door, she was noticed by some of Nico's classmates and welcome her

"It's Toujou-san"

"What can we do for you?"

Nozomi hesitated at first but she manage to question them without being suspicious

"I came here for Nicocchi, is she here?"

"Yazawa? She ran out of classroom a seconds ago she said she'll go in a park"

She raised her eyebrows when she heard this then got nervous and slightly panicked when Nico's classmates took her gift and pinned her with questions

"Is this a gift for Yazawa?" A girl inspect her gift and it was taken again by another girl

"Are these chocolates?" A girl took again her gift

"Are you serious? I heard Toujou can make delicious chocolates" Her gift was continually pass to Nico's curious classmates

"Handmade chocolates?"

"Whoa! I'd like to have some!"

"Me too, me too!"

"Is it okay Toujou-san?"

Nozomi gave a strained smile, she made those handmade chocolates for Nicocchi but she's weak on this kind of situation. She's a person who can't say 'No'. The excitement on Nico's classmate didn't help her too.

"S-sure" Her words contradict what she feels right now. Her heart broke from the sight that the girls are now ripping the wrapper that she made effort to gift wrapped. They finally open the box and saw the small chocolates, Nozomi heard their sound of amazement.

But before one of the girls reach on one of those chocolates, a hand swiftly took the box and it made Nozomi face the the perpetrator

"These aren't for you guys" Eri stated, the box is on her hands being held up high "Now" then she gesture her hands to shoo them away.

"Ayase you're such a kill joy" One of the girl said and disappointments are clear on their face as they return to their seats

Eri reach for the cover of the box to close it then she held it out for Nozomi who was having a crestfallen face

"It's safe now" She produce a fake sigh of relief

"What are you doing in here?" Nozomi said a low voice but Eri manage to hear it

"Well I'm looking for y-" Eri gave her usual cheerful voice to lightened the mood but her words as usual were cutted by Nozomi's

"I remember you're the one who spread rumors about my chocolates" she paused, Nozomi was staring hard on the ground, her hands are trembling out of anger "This won't happen if you didn't spread those rumors"

"I just said the truth, you're chocolates are aweso-"

"Why are you looking for me? I'm sure you're here to mess with me again, Am I right?" Her voice are now shaky "Are you happy now?" Nozomi shot a glare at Eri, they hold their gaze for a minute then Nozomi forcefully took the box that Eri's holding and ran out of the classroom

Eri was dumbfounded and all she could see was the back of running Nozomi

* * *

Out of all day, today is when Eri forgot her umbrella, she needed to catch up with Nozomi, she needed to apologize so she run out of their school under the rain.

She ran as fast as she could not minding the cold that she's feeling from getting wet, she need to see the purple haired girl

And there she saw the figure of Nozomi, slowly walking under her umbrella. She called Nozomi while running into her

"Toujou!"

Nozomi slowly turn towards her direction and tilted the umbrella to see Eri, her downcast expression immediately shifted into a worried one when she saw Eri running under the rain

Eri finally caught up with Nozomi and halted her steps, she heard Nozomi asking her while her hands are on her knees, catching her breath

"What are you doing Ayase? Where's your umbrella?"

"T-that doesn't m-matter right now" She forcefully exhaled an inspired air then she stands "Where are you g-going?"

"I'm going home" Nozomi said, she's averting her eyes right now

"What about your chocolates, aren't you going to give it to Nico?" Eri said and Nozomi can hear the blonde's concern on her voice

"I can't give it to her when it's like this"

"But you tried your best to make those right?" Eri paused her stamina is somewhat recovering now "You put your feeling into those"

"I won't give it to Nico if it's not properly presented" Nozomi said in her usual sarcastic voice, she turn around again to start walking but Eri grabbed her wrist to stop her

_This girl is stubborn_

"Wait"

Nozomi face Eri and she saw the blonde rummaging on her bag

"What are you doing?"

"I'm finding a bag for your chocolates"

Nozomi raises her eyebrows and watch Eri as she pull out a small purple gift bag with a light blue ribbon on it. She remembered that it was what Eri brought that day for her special someone. Nozomi panicked when she saw the blonde gesturing towards a trash bin, she's about to throw the contents of the gift bag but Nozomi called her

"What are you doing?!" Nozomi shouted as she walk beside her "Aren't those for your special someone?!" Nozomi grab Eri's hand to save the chocolates.

Eri gave a small smile

"These are for my prank on you don't worry" she paused, Eri freed her wrist on Nozomi's grasp and started to throw the chocolates out of the bag "They are nothing special" Her gaze didn't leave on the falling chocolates as she did it

"Why are you doing these for-"

"Now give me your chocolates" Eri held out one of her hand and Nozomi complied, though still confused with Eri's action

Eri cautiously put the chocolates one by one from the box to the small gift bag, when she's done she tied the ribbon back and gave it to Nozomi

"Done" She gave Nozomi a gleeful smile "Now you can give it to Nico"

Nozomi was lying if she wouldn't tell that this kind of Eri is not bad. She was currently dumbstruck on everything Eri had done for her until her back was push, Eri was encouraging her to walk now and give the chocolates to Nico.

Nozomi's cheek produce a faint blush and avert her eyes

"Thank you"

And run away leaving the blonde under the rain with smile that doesn't reach her eyes

* * *

Nozomi was successful on giving the chocolates on Nico, but after minutes of stalking on Nico, she doesn't know what to feel, Nozomi doesn't know what to do when she saw Nico confessing to a certain crimson haired girl and when the crimson haired girl shyly but happily accepts Nico.

She was running right now towards a certain Russian, she don't know why but, she needed to see the blonde right now.

She don't know where she can find the blonde but she still run towards the place where she left the blonde. She stopped her tracks when she saw no one on that place and decided to head on the nearest shrine over there. As she walk upstairs the figure on Eri started to show.

Eri was standing under the shrine, she was giving an expressionless face while watching the rain drop on her palm. She's still wet from the rain earlier and some of her loose hair in front of her face are sticking on her skin.

_She actually looks so hot_

Nozomi shakes her head to remove her thoughts, how could she think like that on times like this, but seeing the quarter Russian like now makes her calm. She slowly walks towards the blonde and then the blonde snapped from her thoughts, her expressionless face earlier shifted into gleeful smile, but Nozomi notice something different, there's no playful aura around Eri right now.

"Did you gave it to her?"

Nozomi got under the shrine and pulled back her umbrella

Nozomi hummed as a reply

"Then what's the problem?"

She surprisingly turn her head towards the blonde, Eri was still preoccupied watching the falling raindrops on her palm as she continue her words

"Your face tells everything"

Nozomi was dumbstruck again for the second time, she just watch Eri as time pass by, together they fell silent, Eri because giving Nozomi more time and Nozomi because she can't bring herself to say what's she's feeling right now.

Sounds of falling rain is what they could hear right now, then suddenly Nozomi speaks what's on her mind.

"Nicocchi confessed on someone, and that girl accepted her" She pause and waited for some comments but Eri just let Nozomi speaks "I can't forget Nicocchi's smile when that girl accepted her, its genuine, I never saw Nicocchi smile like that before"

She hangs her head and her shoulders drop low

"I never thought that she's in love with someone else"

It's just a simple sentence but it brings anxiousness on her. There's so many thoughts on her head but she can't convey them to the blonde. Nozomi fell silent again

For some reason just telling it to the blonde lightened the weight on her chest, Eri didn't even speak when Nozomi was talking but just listen to her, that alone was enough for her, she just need someone to listen with her and Eri did it without complains and her usual teasing.

Eri stopped from what she's doing and walks towards Nozomi, Nozomi just watch Eri as she pat her head with a warm smile

"Did talking about it lightened the weight on your chest?"

Nozomi didn't reply for a while and the sound of the hard rain is what they could only hear and it calms her nerve, or being with Eri calms her nerves? She dont know.

"How can you read me like an open book?" she questioned

Eri stop patting her head and took a step back, her smile never leave her face

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Eri paused and Nozomi saw that Eri's smile isnt reaching her eyes

"It's because I love you"

Nozomi heard Eri's usual line, but she can't feel any irritation. Eri's usual cheeky smile wasn't there.

* * *

After that day Eri got cold and skipped school, it's been 4 days already since the last time she saw the blonde, and she don't know if she'll feel happy or not. She didn't even know if the blonde were totally serious on what she said but it made her uncomfortable.

Right now she's helping the shrine as usual and she's sweeping the back of the shrine when she heard familiar voices, she stopped from what she's doing

"Nico what are we doing here?"

"They said there's a gorgeous shrine maiden helping here"

"As if someone's gorgeous than Nozomi"

Nozomi's shoulders twitched when she heard her name, not just because of that but also because she knows the person behind those voices

"You can only call Nozomi like that when she's not around and you're being a chicken when she's around"

Nozomi held her broom unto her chest and stealthily walks and peeks from the side of the shrine, she saw Eri giving a grumpy face while being dragged by Nico whos' giving a deadpan expression, they are in front of the altar now and taking their time to talk.

_She seems fine now, she already recovered from her cold._

Then Nico tilted her head when she saw Nozomi on her peripheral vision and gave her a mischievous smile while Eri's too frustrated to notice what Nico is planning. Nozomi caught Nico's gaze and quickly leaned back, she tried to peek again and Nico was now facing the grumpy blonde though still aware of Nozomi's presence

"She'll just get mad on me again and say that I'm not even her friend to call her using her name" Eri said as she kick one of her feet on air.

"By the way I heard you got a girlfriend now, why are you still looking for some unknown gorgeous girl?"

"It's not for me but for you" Nico pointed at Eri "Nozomi is all you could ever think about, it's alright to at least have fun for a while"

"I'm not that kind of person"

"She's not your girlfriend yet"

"That doesn't mean that I'll just show my loyalty when she became mine"

Nico hummed

"You're so lucky because the girl you admire loves you back"

Nico's eyebrows twitch

"It's because your tactic is the worst, who would think that kind of plan? You're too dumb for a clever person, who would mess with the girl she loves just to get her attention?!"

Eri's cheeks redden and retaliate

"It's because I don't know how to court Nozomi!"

"Giving someone with a market bought chocolate with a price on it without a gift wrapper" Nico gave one loud sarcastic laugh "How lame"

"I'm pretty serious about that! I spend my whole allowance to buy it online cause they said its really delicious, I tried to giftwrapped it but it turned so bad ,out of nervousness I forgot to remove the price! And I don't know that Nozomi hates, really hates caramel"

"Yeah yeah that's why when you finally decided to confessed or convey your feelings to Nozomi, she always thought that you're just teasing her" Nico said sarcastically " If I were Nozomi I couldn't help myself to think like that too"

Eri's shoulder drop the same with her mood, her head is hanging low now

"Even if it was for a little while, Nozomi did think about me a lot. She filled her head with thoughts of me. That's enough for me"

Nico send again a glance and Nozomi caught this, Nozomi realized that Nico wants to tell her something by doing this.

"In a different way though, like how she can kill you or slap you without giving up her reputation on our school"

Nico's gaze didn't leave Nozomi's when she ask the crestfallen Eri a question again

"By the way, what happened to the chocolate that you made for Nozomi? I really had a hard time teaching you how to made those"

Eri fell silent for seconds then sat on the ground while watching the invisible ants

"I threw them"

Nico's mouth were agape and she grabs Eri's collar and snarled at her

"Huh?!" Nico's face crumpled "Did you know that the chocolates you bought was expensive, count how many times we failed and add the times that I spend with you! You just threw all of those specially my time!"

Eri avert her eyes and give an apologetic smile, Nico saw this it makes her more irritates but she can't do anything about that now, she can't do anything that her friend is such a dork.

"I hope there a reasonable story about that" Nico said this as she pulled back from grabbing Eri

Eri hummed and nods

"I'll tell you next time"

"And here I thought you'll finally give her a chocolate in person" Nico gave a big sigh then eyed her friend, her mood is still the same. there's still depressive atmosphere roaming on Eri

"She said that she'll just return chocolates from me and she accepted the chocolate that I made you gave to her, I'm happy with that"

"That doesnt count as-"

"I'm contended with that Nico"

Nico gave her a worried look and Eri decided to walks back into her house head hanging low

"I really just want to shut on my room right now, I don't care about the 'gorgeous' shrine maiden here if she's not Nozomi"

But before Eri can walk too far she was grab again on her collar on the back of her neck and was dragged towards the altar again

"If you could be honest like this when Nozomi is around, then we wouldnt have any problem"

"Arent I always honest?" Eri retorted almost like a child

"But the way you tell her ruins it, thats why she thought you're messing with her again, act normal like a normal person will do"

"Nervousness kills me, I dont know how to act naturally around her" Every reply that Eri gave to Nico deflates her mood, Nico dont know how to do with this anymore

Nico pointed the altar

"We're here already atleast pay a visit before coming home, come on I'll pray for you"

Eri gave a dejected sigh then face the altar. Together they throw a coin before clapping their hands and stay silent.

Nico was the one who lift her head first and she was followed by Eri. Nico askes the blonde

"What did you wish for?"

"Nozomi's happiness"

* * *

There's something odd with Ayase

That's the first thought that came to Nozomi when the blonde finally entered the school. Nozomi cant help to become more concious on the blonde than before

Thanks to Nico's antic, she finally knows now what's with Ayase. Just like Nico said, Eri planned at the start to mess with her so she can notice Eri, but when Eri decided to become serious on conveying her feeling on Nozomi, she misunderstood everything

_Cant help it, not my fault_

Everything Eri did for her flashbacks at her, she produce a faint blush and somehow felt guilty.

Eri thought that Nozomi took her confession again as a joke and didnt now what Nico did on her back

So she's still acting normal, but Nozomi still insisted that somethings wrong with Eri

And because of that Nozomi cannot retaliate as fast as she could right now to the blonde, she keep their conversation short and always averts her eyes whenever she caught blonde's gaze and avoid Eri. Her heart keeps pounding hard and she could feel her hands being as cold as an ice, and there's always a lump on her throat whenever she saw Eri being Hot as always.

Isnt she the one who's acting odd?

"W-waaaaiiittt!"

Nozomi was cutted from her thoughts when she heard a voice far from her, she was about to enter the school gate and this made her stop from her tracks, she noticed that it came from inside so she tried to scan surroundings.

There she saw the certain blonde that's been bugging her mind lately

Eri is with a golden retriever and the dog is running while pulling its leash hard that made the blonde ran as fast as the dog.

And the two was running towards Nozomi, no towards a tree near Nozomi.

"S-stop! Stop. Stop. Stop!"

Eri said, panic is visible on her, she tried to pull the dog but she's afraid to fall if she contradict the dog's streghth and momentum.

And when she's about to collide on the tree she finally let go on the dog's leash but it was too late, she cant decelerate her speed all of a sudden and hardly collided on the tree.

Eri slowly slump flat on ground and face the azure sky filled with stars, while the dog run straight to Nozomi, breathing heavy, saliva dripping while wiggling its tail due to over excitement

The dog remind her someone

Nozomi raised an eyebrow on the dog, its now hopping small one's on air probrably because of its weight,it always look at Nozomi's direction and its gesturing back and forth towards the blonde and her

When Nozomi heard Eri groaning from pain, the dog immeditely run towards the blonde, she followed the dog and saw Eri lying motionless with a resting hand on her forehead.

"That hurts"

A shadows overlap at her and Eri slowly open her eyelids and meet an emeralds orbs with a worried expression. She was immediately mesmerize and forgot the pain that she's feeling

"Grandmother I think a goddess is here to take me already"

Eri unconsciously said to no one, if Nozomi hadn't know Eri's feelings for her she'll just walk off and comment her usual sarcastic lines but right now there's a big change on Nozomi ever since that day.

What Eri said brought down her composure and made her blush furiously. She cant take every Eri's words or teasing as a joke now.

_Ah the goddess is blushing_

Eri and Nozomi stayed like that for minute and the absent dumb look that Eri is giving right now somehow made the purple haired girl burst into giggles

_She's laughing right now, she's as gorgeous as Nozo-_

Before she finished her thoughs Eri felt something slimy on her head, and its making her whole face wet, because of these she was cutted on her entranced state

And then she realize that the dog is licking all over her face

"Stop it, w-wait"

She's trying now to push the dog ouf of her face with all of her might and the giggle earlier became a loud laughter. Eri finally sit up still preventing then dog to reach her face and saw the gorgeous goddess that she's fantazising earlier

"Nozomi!" The blonde blush furiously when she realize that she look stupid, Nozomi raised her eyebrows when she heard this and Eri pulled back her words

"T-toujou-san" Eri fake a cough

"Yes?" Nozomi swipe the tears at the corner of her eyes and unbenknowst to her she gave Eri a warm smile

Eri saw the smile that Nozomi gave to her and once again she was mesmerized, Nozomi never gave her a warm smile like that. Was it really hers? but Nozomi isnt talking to anyone except her. If its really for her she can die now from happiness.

And then a bark again from the dog brought her out from the entraced state, she glared at the heavy breathing dog and somehow it's smile irritates her.

Noticing that Eri wont reply immeditely, Nozomi speak

"By the way thank you for calling me a 'goddess' earlier Ayase" There's still a faint blush on her cheeks as she said this and atmosphere around them became awkward for both of them

While Eri blush reddened again, Nozomi heard her thoughs and its making her embarrass that makes her want to dig a hole and just jump over it. Nozomi also didnt take her words as teasing like the usual, she also wanted to reply using her teasing tactics but she cant think of anything to say right now

Eri's mind shutdown upon seeing Nozomi's rare warm smile for her.

"W-welcome"

Eri's getting flustered right now and Nozomi finds it cute. What if Nozomi reverse their usual situation? What if Nozomi is the one who will tease the blonde now? Will this cute flustered Eri infront of her will always show up?

_Let's find out_

Nozomi sat on the grass not too far on Eri and asked

"By the way 'Ericchi' what are you doing with a dog?"

Upon hearing this Eri quickly shot her face at Nozomi with a surprised look. She cannot process anymore thoughts and its visible on the blonde's flustered face

_It seem I over did it_

"E-e-ericchi?!" Eri stuttered

Was it Nozomi's endearment for her or what?

"Yes, thats your name right? Just like Nicocchi for Nico and Ericchi for Eri"

"I thought its only for Nico"

"No, I called everyone of my friends like that"

_Friends_. Eri felt so fool to hope and Nozomi suddenly saw Eri as a dog, a dog slowly lowering her ears due to sadness.

Eri fell into silence again, Nozomi decided to tease the blonde further

"Are you hoping Ericchi to be more than that?" Nozomi snickered

"No!. No. No. N-" Eri quickly retorted while waving her hands infront of her

"Am I not enough for you then?" Nozomi faked a sadness now

"Yes! I mean No! You're a package! You're beaut- Gorgeous! You're down to earth! You're-"

Eri upon realizing what she's blabbering she stopped, blush and fake a cough she continued

"About why am I with a dog" Eri paused, avert her gaze and turn to the side where Nozomi couldnt see her reddened face but she was too late, Nozomi already noted the changes on her faces from the beginning

_She's changing the topic now_

"This dog is roaming around the school then a faculty member caught this, but no one can take care of it until its owner isn't here yet, so sensei called me because she remembered that I said I love dogs" Eri paused again and hesitated for a seconds "But the truth is I dont"

"Then why did you said that you love them?"

Eri scratch her cheeks, she dont want to answer that question right now

_Because you said you love dogs_

"Some personal reasons?" Eri tried to smile but it failed.

Nozomi hummed and gesture to the dog, the dog lay on the ground and open its legs for Nozomi. Nozomi being a dog lover knows what it means, she started scratching some areas on the dog's stomach while finding something and when the dog finally move its foot in ecstasy because of Nozomi's scratches she said to Eri

"Aren't they cute?"

Eri's furrowed her eyebrows on the luck of the dog, and gave the golden retriever a deathly glare

But it was stopped when Nozomi stopped from petting the dog when they hear the bell indicating that the classes will start now. Eri and Nozomi stand up and turn to face each other

"Ericchi, I'll go now, be careful next time" She smiled on Eri

Nozomi started to walk and before getting too far she saw the dog running towards her, its weight pushed her when it jump into Nozomi and made the purple haired girl lost her balance, but before something happen, Eri caught her as she hold Nozomi tight on her waist and leans to the tree behind her to stabilize both of them.

The purple haired girl was actually surprise on the sudden events, but Eri was more surprise and nervous than her.

_Oh no she's going to think I'm a creep_

Eri immediately raised her hands up as if she committed a crime and Nozomi could feel Eri's pounding heart from behind, Eri was too flustered to notice that Nozomi lean a little more to Eri to feel her heartbeat more.

"I-I didn't mean to touch you!" Eri tried to explain, she's stuttering now and said the following words with speed cause she's afraid to be misunderstood in a different level "I-it just came to me that I need to c-catch you, you know, I saw that you're about to f-fall and I don't want you to get hurt so I catch you but I really didn't mean to t-touch you or h-hold you in your w-waist I know you can call me c-creep but-"

But Eri was cutted when she felt someone cupping one side of her cheeks and something soft pressed on her lips. The blonde was staring to the closed eye purple haired girl who was pulling back from a kiss.

And then saw the emerald orbs of Nozomi. Everything was too sudden and her mind hasn't recovered yet, not until she heard Nozomi

"That's enough" Nozomi sweetly said, faint blush is visible on her face as she said this "Save some for our conversation later, tomorrow and upcoming days"

Nozomi pushed herself off from the blonde and started to run towards the classroom leaving a dumbstruck blonde behind.

Eri run a finger on her lips and slowly slide down to the ground while still leaning on the tree. She felt her heart pounding too hard not out of nervousness like earlier but out of excitement and felt that her whole body became hot all of sudden.

Eri can't contain her happiness and grinned widely as she tried to remember what Nozomi just did to her

_She kissed me!_

The blonde energetically stood up and jump with a fist, she's expressing her joy right now

_Nozomi kissed me!_

Eri continue to jump happily like that until she heard the forgotten dog besides her howling. It made Eri's mood change drastically into passive one

"Shut up"

Nozomi who saw everything behind her back stopped for a while. She finds Eri's cute side.

_Giving her a chance wouldn't hurt, right?_


End file.
